birthday celebration at 1 Michelin star NAEUM ⭐️

📍NAEUM Restaurant

💭 Thoughts:

Naeum is one of only 2 Michelin star Korean restaurants in Singapore so this was a nice treat for my birthday! Booked around 1-2 months in advance in order to secure seats!!

Service was great throughout and the atmosphere was great as well - not as dimly lit and cozy as some other fine dining restaurants but still felt “atas” enough!

The wait staff kindly explained every dish and each dish was presented very prettily! There is no menu here - it is a tasting menu. The only choice you have to make is whether you would want a classic vs signature menu. The signature menu has everything in the classic menu except 3 dishes that has the arrow sign at the front!

The menu here changes every season, and they are now at “episode 8 - journey of hwagyo” which they just started this month of October! It is inspired by the hwagyo (overseas Chinese) journey in Korea so the dishes are Korean-Chinese inspired!

🍴Food:

1. Snacks course: kkanpung saewoo, jjajang donut, oi muchim + nanjawanse galbi (signature menu)

- starting right from the snacks, it was amazing already

- for the classic menu, in order of my faves: oi muchim > jjajang donut > kkanpung saewoo

- kkanpung saewoo is reminiscent of the familiar prawn cracker. Jjajang donut is a small donut filled with jjajang sauce (I think there’s mushrooms in it?) - it was super good too! Oi muchim was my fave - it was slightly sour and tangy with seafood which I LOVE

- the additional nanjawanse galbi (beef) given as part of the signature menu was so tender!!

2. Yangjangpi - cuttlefish, autumn vegetables, caviar

3. Memilmyeon (signature menu) - buckwheat noodles, white kimchi and topped with 5 spiced beef

- LOVED IT!! Wasn’t too jelat, light and flavorful!

4. Chunbing - potato crepe, kimchi sabayon, pork cheek paired with 2 different sauces

- this actually tasted quite western? The kimchi wasn’t too overpowering and the potato crepe was so soft!! Had a cheesy taste to it despite having no cheese in it?!

5. Lobster - jjampong, napa cabbage, white radish

- the lobster was so tender!!!

6. Yang - lamb saddle and Korean squash, seasoned with cumin and gochujang

- the lamb was SO TENDER 😋 and not gamey at all

- I really loved this course and it was one of my favorites!!

7. Gwanja deopbap - Hokkaido scallops, morel and mushroom gravy

- this course was AMAZING!! The scallops were so fresh and springy, and the rice itself was so plump and good omo

8. Dessert courses

(a) Dragon eye - yuzu sorbet, white fungus, ginger

- this was my favorite dessert and honestly the best course for me

- I LOVED IT 🩷🩷

- super fruity and zesty and citrusy ALL MY LOVES

(b) Jeonbyung (signature menu) - jujube, truffle, white chocolate

- different from the fruity first dessert, this one was creamy and chocolatey

- also SO GOOD!! how does this place do such good desserts !!

(c) Dagwa - jeongpyeon, mango gangjeong, red bean bun, dongwa

- this was like an assortment of small snacks to end the meal and to help us digest everything

- perfect end to this wonderful meal!!

🤔Would go again?

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

LOVE LOVE LOVE this place 🩷🩷🩷

every course was AMAZING!! Definitely a place good for celebrations of birthdays and anniversaries!! ofc price is steep but I can see why they have a Michelin star 🥰